Chapter 123: Growing Bigger and Stronger, Starting with the New Year Blockbuster Season (Seeking Subscriptions)

Jianghe Film and Television Company.

After seeing Su Mu and Qian Jida off, Xu Jiang eventually found himself in a heated argument with his business partner inside the office.

Xu Jiang: "Su Mu was my choice from the start. None of you objected then, and it's too late to say these things now. I’ve decided it’s going to be him."

Partner: "Xu Jiang, we’ve known each other for a long time. It might sound harsh, but I have to say it: you aren’t Zhang Huaimou, and you certainly aren’t Dong Xuefei. You don’t have investors lining up to throw money at you! We need to maintain our standing. We can’t just squander investor funds; at the very least, whatever you spend must be justified so that we don’t lose money. That’s the only way they won't nitpick and might invest again in the future. Besides, can you guarantee that this fifty million will turn Su Mu’s drama into a massive hit?"

Faced with his partner’s aggressive questioning, Xu Jiang’s gaze remained resolute: "You know me. Once I’ve made a decision, I won’t go back on it. And I believe in Su Mu. You didn't see it earlier, but I did—Su Mu spent a few minutes on set getting into character, and his acting was stunning. Trust me, this drama will make our reputation."

The partner chuckled upon hearing this, though the laugh carried a hint of disdain and self-mockery.

"Xu Jiang, the reason I partnered with you to start this film company was because I believed in your talent and thought one day you’d make a box-office-topping masterpiece. But how many years has it been? Do you have any idea how much pressure I’ve been under while you’ve been churning out these lukewarm projects?"

Xu Jiang: "I know your difficulties, which is why I’m going all-in this time. We’ve survived the hardest phase; now we just have to wait for success!"

Lao Jin, the partner, shook his head with difficulty: "Xu Jiang, I know you’re stubborn, and often I can’t talk you out of things. So, I’ve made up my mind—I’ll stand by you this time, but it might be the last."

Xu Jiang: "Lao Jin, you..."

Lao Jin: "Don't worry. Do whatever you want with this drama, follow your vision, and show your talent. I won't say another word, and I’ll handle the investors for you. But once this drama is finished, I’m... withdrawing as a partner."

Xu Jiang: "..."

...

Inside the cemetery.

Su Mu was taking a stroll... or rather, scouting graves.

[Grave Scouting proficiency +1... +1...]

[Skill Points +0.01... +0.01]

His gaze swept over every tombstone, and his proficiency continued to climb steadily.

How to put it... it was actually quite simple.

Behind him, the cemetery’s elderly gatekeeper stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Qian Jida and the others, watching Su Mu wander about.

The old man suddenly spoke up: "Looking for a new home, or visiting relatives?"

Qian Jida: "..."

Driver: "..."

Seeing that neither replied, the old man pursed his lips. He then pulled a pack of high-end cigarettes from his pocket. "Want one?"

Qian Jida shook his head: "No thanks."

The driver smiled and took one, putting it in his mouth: "Thanks, old timer! Oh wow, smoking the good stuff?"

The old man lit up and took a drag, then laughed: "Heh, working here, if there’s one thing we’re not short of, it’s cigarettes, alcohol, and fruit."

The driver was stunned: "That’s better benefits than us contract drivers get."

"It’s nothing special, really. It just depends on the client’s circumstances." The old man smiled mysteriously, pointing toward the area Su Mu was in, and continued: "Like that big family over there, they’re well-off. These cigarettes came from them."

Qian Jida: "???"

Driver: "!!!"

*Plop.*

The cigarette fell to the ground.

...

Over an hour later.

[Grave Scouting Proficiency LV2: 998/1000 (Entering the Threshold)]

Su Mu seemed to have found the method. He had wandered through most of the cemetery, carefully observing every "resident." He was about to push his proficiency to LV3.

As his Grave Scouting neared the "Entering the Threshold" stage, Su Mu felt he had gained some strange insights into the surrounding environment and the soil.

It was as if, with the increase in proficiency, this knowledge was being poured into his brain bit by bit.

In short, his judgment of direction had become more precise. He had a clearer perception of orientation, topography, soil moisture and dryness, odors, vegetation, and everything else. At a glance, he could even tell which residents were recent arrivals and which had been there for a long time.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

[Grave Scouting Proficiency LV3: 1/5000 (Excellent Craftsman)]

After observing and learning for another ten minutes, Su Mu finally pushed his proficiency to LV3.

However, at this level, he could clearly feel that ordinary graves were no longer enough to raise his proficiency. Su Mu guessed it might have to do with the age of the graves. These were mostly ten years old, with the oldest only being twenty or thirty years old.

So, to continue grinding after LV3 or LV4, he might need to study some much older ones.

There were actually many historical cemeteries in China, and plenty around Beijing. Some 4A or 5A scenic spots were essentially renovated cemeteries that even opened up for tours. So, it wouldn't be hard to keep grinding.

However, Su Mu felt that reaching the full proficiency of LV3 was more than enough to interpret the character of Hu Bayi. At the very least, he now had a much clearer understanding of the "dragon-seeking and acupoint-finding" techniques, and that was sufficient. He could definitely put it to use when filming started.

Returning to the gate, Su Mu looked at the old man: "The garden hasn't been built for long, has it?"

Old man: "Hmm, not long. Just a few decades."

Su Mu nodded, then climbed into the car under the bewildered gazes of Qian Jida and the others.

On the way back, Qian Jida’s heart was racing. "Su Mu, tell me the truth. Why did you go there... who were you looking for? Do you know someone there?"

Su Mu shook his head: "No, I was just visiting."

After he said that, before Qian Jida could react, the contract driver almost swerved the car into a ditch.

Sure enough, what they said on the internet was true. None of these celebrities were normal people in private!

...

Grinding proficiency was just a small detour. After returning to the hotel, Su Mu saw that Little Orange and Master Zhu had already ordered dinner. Having worked for several days and finally closing two major contracts, Su Mu felt completely relaxed.

After a shower, they all ate together.

Qian Jida: "The work here is mostly done. After you meet Director Zhang, we’ll head back to Galaxy City. There’s still a lot to handle at the studio."

Su Mu nodded. He knew what Qian Jida was worried about. Although the studio was established, it wasn't fully functional yet. There was no dedicated operations or PR team, no styling team, and they still hadn't found a firm to handle accounting and legal affairs.

As Su Mu’s career took off, his finances would become far more complex than just a few contracts. Professional matters had to be handled by professionals. However, this would require a significant amount of capital. Qian Jida needed to plan accordingly upon their return.

It was a headache, though—after all, this was just for Su Mu alone. If the studio were to grow and earn more money in the future, they would inevitably need to sign other artists and invest in projects. When that time came, they would need even more teams to collaborate.

There was no way around it; you couldn't cut corners on these things. Every big-name star had built their media company bit by bit in this exact way.

Su Mu understood this as well. To grow big and strong, he needed more operating costs. After all, not everyone was like him, able to achieve insane popularity and instant hits with every role. Therefore, investing money would be essential, which meant he needed to accumulate as much capital as possible now.

Without money, everything was difficult. This was also why he was preparing to have a chat with Zhang Huaimou.

...

The next day, Su Mu went to Zhang Huaimou’s office building alone.

Compared to a top-tier industry giant like Huayi, yesterday’s Jianghe Film and Television seemed quite shabby. Of course, his own studio was even smaller—just a few hundred square meters, not even as big as one of their departments.

But that didn't matter. It only needed to be big when it counted.

Su Mu met with several Huayi executives alongside Zhang Huaimou. After some casual conversation, they returned to Zhang's office.

Zhang Huaimou: "Did you settle things with Xu Jiang?"

Su Mu: "You know him too?"

Zhang Huaimou smiled: "Not exactly friends, but we’ve crossed paths on a few occasions. I’ve seen some of his work—he’s a man with ideas, just lacking a bit of luck."

Su Mu: "Indeed. If his script had been filmed last year, it would have definitely been a hit. At the very least, it wouldn't have left me monopolizing the screen alone. It's just a pity that an accident happened."

Zhang Huaimou teased: "So it’s not that he’s unlucky, but that you’re lucky. Not only did you avoid the clash, but now you’ve stepped in to take over. I’d believe you if someone said you orchestrated it."

Su Mu was speechless: "Director Zhang, stop... I’m a good person."

Zhang Huaimou laughed. He brewed a pot of tea with boiling water and then got straight to the point.

"Breaking into the big screen isn't actually hard. As long as you have a financier backing you, anyone can film. The problem is whether you can handle the opportunity. In the past, there have been plenty of people in the industry who tried, but 99 percent of them couldn't stay at the top and eventually fell back to earth. If you want to dive in, my advice is to be fully prepared. As long as your first step isn't too ugly, the road ahead will be much smoother."

Su Mu nodded. He understood what Zhang Huaimou meant. The first film was crucial; as long as the box office wasn't disastrous, it would give the market more confidence. But if he started with a failure, he would have to work much harder to recover later.

Zhang Huaimou continued: "The Chinese film market is complex, and the investment circle is quite chaotic. When things are good, everyone wants a piece of the pie, tossing in money just to rake in quick profits. Over time, the audience has been severely burned, leading them to trust Western big-budget productions more because, at the very least, the special effects are guaranteed..."

Zhang Huaimou went into great detail, from conceptual levels and logic to sharing his own hard-won experience. Su Mu listened intently, absorbing every bit of advice.

According to Zhang, before officially entering this circle, Su Mu should look at his competitors—those with similar status or projects released at the same time. He needed to look at their data to have a clear sense of where he stood.

Every year, besides the major government-backed productions, the most representative period was the Lunar New Year slot, which was also the most fiercely competitive. This year’s lineup featured comedy, romance, and sentimental dramas. Zhang Huaimou urged Su Mu to pay close attention to *The Millennium*, directed by Wu Dongsheng, and *Love Elegy*, directed by Dong Xuefei, because the leads in these films were direct benchmarks for Su Mu in terms of both acting skill and influence.

Furthermore, Zhang Huaimou offered advice on Su Mu’s plan to produce independently. If he had his own script, pulling in multiple investors was the best choice, as it spread the risk and reduced the pressure. Of course, if he had absolute confidence, that was a different story.

Zhang Huaimou spoke at length, providing his own experience and suggestions. After discussing and summarizing, Su Mu decided that he would try to aim for the Lunar New Year slot next year.

...

That night, Su Mu returned to the hotel. After a light meal and a shower, he prepared to rest. Lying in bed, recalling Zhang Huaimou’s advice, Su Mu opened his male artist panel.

Strength: 25.1

Speed: 25.1

...

Brain Computing Power: 35.5

Skill Points: 30.94

Su Mu: "Give me ten blind boxes."

[Notification: 10.0 Skill Points deducted, opening blind boxes...]

PS: Thanks to the supporters! (Also: why is no one recommending film and television works?)